Frederick resident: Let’s just ban everything in parks

Ocean City has done it. Rockville, too. And Howard County. I’m talking about banning or restricting smoking in public parks. Now the city of Frederick is moving toward a similar smoking ban. “It’s a big wave; it’s coming,” said Roelkey Myers, the city’s deputy director of parks and recreation.

Should smoking be banned in public parks? (TRACY A. WOODWARD/THE WASHINGTON POST)

Frederick resident Vicki Brust’s opinion on the matter is not difficult to discern. The ban, she says, doesn’t go far enough.

In a letter to the Frederick News Post, she writes: “Many dog walkers do not pick up their messes. I suspect that those who do not probably aren’t very good about vetting their animals. That feces is a danger to the health and well-being of my dog should we come across such a mess. Let’s ban dogs from city parks, too.”

Also: “I don’t eat a lot of meat and often wonder how a vegetarian feels watching someone eat part of a dead cow or chicken. Let’s ban all meat from city parks.”

And: “I and many other people have seasonal allergies. Let’s ban flowers and grass from city parks. I also have asthma. Please, please ban perfume from city parks.”

She concludes: “Ban everything from city parks. We can all just drive by and admire the dirt.”